Wheel.



R. W. PRINGLB.

WHEEL. APPLIUATION FILED APR.26, 1997.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

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Attorney.

Wit nesses:-

R. W. PRINGLE.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26,1907.

91 2,6 1 5. Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. W. PRINGLE.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APRZG, 1907.

{/8 Inventf:a

Attorney Witnesses 4a.

ROBERT WILLIAM PRINGLE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application filed April 26, 1907. Serial No. 370,419.

To all whom it mar concern:

Be it known hat 1, ROBERT WILLIAM PRINGLE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at Norfolk House, Laurence PountncyHill, London, E. 0., England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in and Relating to Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to wheels for vehicles of all kinds and cyclesand has for its object so to construct the wheel that it shall have theresiliency of a pneumatic tired wheel without its defects and be ca ableof application not only to cycles and lig t motor vehicles but also tomotor busses and other heavy motor vehicles including traction enginesand also to prevent side slip.

According to the invention I provide the wheel with a rimconsisting of anumber of independent rim segments which are so arranged as to becapable of ,sl ight and independent movement in a radial directionagainst the resistance of a fluid under pressure contained within anumber of cylinders radially disposed. Each of the rim segments isconnected to the hub in such a manner that the connecting member canonly be subjected to tens on, the rim se ments being free to moveradially inwards to a slight extent towards the hub under the elasticresistance of the fluid contained in the cylinders.

. The cylinders are advantageously connected together by means ofcommunicating tubes so as thus to constitute a continuous pneumaticcushion between ,the rim segments and the hub, indirectly connected tothe latter by virtue of )ressure exerted in every direction by the eastic fluid and by guides or slots 1n which the comlecting members move,and also indirectl connected to the former in a manner t at insures anelastic cushion for the rim. By these means the pressure on the rimsegments in contact with the road surface is not transmitted direct tothe hub of the vehicle but to the whole body of the compressed fluid,whereby shocks and vibrations communicated ,to the rim are absorbedbefore transmission to the tension members re ferred to.

The invention comprises the method of securing the rim segments to thepistons so as to allow of the respective segments assuming anyparticular angular position according to the inclination or contour ofthe road surface and yet transmitting the reaction through a plane atright angles to the axis of the wheel, and also comprises the method ofconnecting the rim segments to the hub, and other constructionalfeatures which are hereinafter described as applied. Some importantadvantages accrue from this method of constructing the wheel, viz: (a)The spokes are always in tension and therefore do not require to havenearly so great a cross-sectional area as in the usual construction ofvehicle wheels where the spokes are usually in compression. (b) The rimsegments or tread can be shod with hard wear resisting metal or materialwithout injuriously affecting the surface of the road, as the pressurebetween the rim se ments or tread and the road is transmitted t u'oughan elastic medium as aforesaid.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-Figure l is a diagran'nnatic elevation partly in section of a vehiclewheel provided according to the inv ntion showing only three of thecylinders employed. Fig. 2 is a diagranumitic plan of the same )artlyshown in section through the line a: y ig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail frontelevation partly in section on the line as Fi 4 of a portion of a wheelrovided according to the invention. Fig. 4 IS a detail side section,one-half bein a section on the line as y Fig. 3 and the ot 1er half onthe line 3 Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detail plan corresponding thereto.

In carrying the invention into effect according to a preferredconstruction the rim segments a, are so arranged that when no load isupon the wheel the pressure acts equally upon each piston d and thesegments a forming the tread then form a true circle. The adjacentsegmentsaro each connected by means of a bolt 0 and piston rod d to aseparate piston d Working in a cylinder f which bolt r is embraced byrespective lugs g provided at right angles to the piston rod (1 and inthe plane of the wheel upon the underside of the adjacent sc mentso 1nsuch manner as to permit of a sliglit relative transverse rotation ofeach segment. A strengthening ring 71 is advantageously provided intcgral with the cylinders f and serves to take up lateral stress on thewheel. These bolts 0 are respectively indirectly connected to the huh 'iof the wheel by means of tangent tension rods j whose extremities aresecured to the flanges lc alternately inside and outside on each side ofthe hub 4.. These tension rods l are provided so as to be capable ofmovei ment within slots lformed in guide brackets m, and embrace setscrews Ii screwed therein. These guide brackets m surround the upperends of the cylinders y and serve as bearings for the bolts 0. Eaci 0fthe bolts 0 is centrally but not rigidly connected by means of a pinjoint 0 to the respective piston rod (1. The cylinders f are connectedtogether by a communicating pipe 71 the cylinders f and connecting pipesit thus forming a pneumatic cushion device. It will thus be seen thatoutward pressure on any of the pistons 01 is communicated through thecorresponding bolt 0 and rods to the hub, while the rim seg- Inents aare free to move inwards to a slight extent against the resistance ofthe air or other fluid under pressure contained in the cylinder f.

The pistons d preferably do not fit tightly in the cylinders f, nor dothe piston rods (1' require to fit tightly in assing through the covers,leakage of air )eing prevented by means of a ring 0 of rubber or othersuitable material which surrounds each piston d, and lies within a widegroove 1) formed on the periphery of the piston (i so that the ring ofrubber 0 may thus roll in the groove p on the movement of thcpiston d.By the foregoing arrangement the use of lubricants other than gralphlteis obviated.

he rim segments a are advantageously arranged so that the divisionbetween them is oblique to the edges of the rim and are shod with blocksq of any suitable material such as wood, papiermiach, rubber, or metal,the edges of which slope in the opposite direction.

The pivoting of the rim segments a pre eludes the possibility of sideslip, as on the slightest lateral movement of the wheel the surface ofthe blocks g would assume a position parallel with the surface of theroad and the resulting friction between the large surfaces in contacttogether with the resistance due to the oblique setting of the blocks gwould render lateral movement impossible.

The bearings of the rim segments a are preferably made of hard wood, andgraphite is used as a lubricant to revent the formation of sticky mudforme ofoil and dust on these bearings.

The wheel may be made up of two sets of rim segments a and pistons (Z,or of one set and in the former arrangement the respective laterallyadjacent rim segments a arepreferably set to break joint and the pistonsd of the respective sets of segments a are disposed uniformly in thecircle. 1

It will be understood that the principle of the invention can be ap liedto any wheel, from that of a bicycle to t at of a locomotive the productof the combined area of the pistons and the pressure therein alwaysbeing made equal to the axle load.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments in combination with apneumatic device interposed between said rim segments and the hub and aseries of tension members connecting said rim segments to the hubsubstantially as describe 2. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segmentsin combination with a series of cylinders airtight pistons moving withinthe cylinders and connected to the respective rim segments and a seriesof tension members connecting said rim segments to the hub substantially as described. 3. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segmentsmounted so as to be capable of transverse rotation in combination with aneumatic device interposed between sai rim segments and the hub and aseries of tension members connecting said rim segments to the hubsubstantially as described.

4. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments mounted so as to becapableof transverse rotation a series of cylinders airtight pistonsmovin within the cylinders and con nected to sai rim regments and aseries of tension members connectin said rim se ments to the hubsubstantia as describe 5. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments aseries of bolts to which said rim se ments are respectively pivotall Tconnecte a series of airtight pistons an iston rods respectively but notri idly attac ed to said bolts, a series of cylin are within which saidpistons move, and a series of tension members connecting said rimsegments to the hub substantially as described.

6. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments a series of bolts towhich said rim segments are pivotally connected, a series of airtightpistons and iston rods to which said bolts are res ective y connected, aseries of cylinders within which said pistons move and a series oftension members connecting said rim segments to the hub substantially asdescribe 7. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments respectivelyprovided near each extremity with a ro ecting lug, a. series of boltsembraced y said projecting ln s, a series of air-ti ht pistons and istonro s to which said he ts are respective] connected, a. series ofcylinders within whic said pistons move and a series of tension membersconnecting said segments to the hub substantially as described.

8. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments, a series of cylindersairtight pistons moving within the cylinders and connected to the saidrim segments, a series of communicating. pipes connecting said cylindersand a series of tension members connecting said rim cuts to the hubsubstantially as described. v

9. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments mounted so as to be caable of transverse rotation, a series of cylinders airtight pistonsmoving within the cylinders and connected to said rim segments a seriesof communicating pi es connectingbsaid cylinders, and a series 0 tensionmem ers connecting said rim segments to the hub substantially asdescribed.

10. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments, a series of bolts towhich said rim segments are pivotally connected, a series of airtightpistons and iston rods to, which said bolts are connecte a series ofcylinders within which said pistons move, a series of communicating pies connect said cylinders and a series 0 tension mem rs connecting saidrim segments to the hub substantially as describe 11- In a vehicle wheela series of rim segments, a series of bolts to which said rim segmentsare pivotally connected, a series of airtight pistons and piston rods towhich said bolts are respectively but not 'dly connected, a series ofcylinders wit which' said pistons move, a series of communicating pipesconnecting said cylinders and a series of tension members connectingsaid rim se ments to the hub substantially as describe 12. In a vehiclewheel a series of rim segments respectively provided near each extremitywith a projecting lug, a series of bolts embraced by said lugs, a seriesof airtight pistons and piston rods to which said bolts are connected, aseries of cylinders within which said pistons move, a series ofcommunicating pipes connecting said cylinders and a series of tensionmembers connecting said rim se ments to the hub substantially asdescribe 13. In a vehicle wheel a series of rim segments respectivelyprovided near each extremity with a projecting lug, a series of boltsembraced by said lugs, a series of airtight pistons and piston rods arerespectively but not ri idly connected, 5 series of cylinders within wichsaid pistons move, a series of communicating pi es connecting saidcylinders and a series 0 tension members connectin said rim se ments tothe hub substantial y as describe In testimony whereof I have hereuntosigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

ROBERT WILLIAM PRINGLE.

Witnesses:

H. D. Jameson, F. L. RAND.

to which said bolts

